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Taking a look at the Inland Lakes Bulldogs 2023 football schedule

jared greenleaf, cheboygan daily tribune
·4 min read

INDIAN RIVER – Conference champions two years in a row.

No conference losses.

Since joining the Ski Valley 8-Man Conference in 2021, the Inland Lakes Bulldogs have overwhelmed most of their competition during their title runs.

With football season right around the corner, let’s break down the 2023 schedule for head coach Travis Meyer and his Bulldogs, who are in pursuit of a third straight Ski Valley crown.

MORE: A look at the 2022 Daily Tribune All-Area football team

MORE: Breaking down the 2022 All-Ski Valley 8-Man football team

RESULTS IN 2022

6-4 overall; 5-0 Ski Valley 8-Man Conference (Champions); Lost to Merrill in first round of playoffs

Quarterback Aidan Fenstermaker and the Inland Lakes Bulldogs are aiming for a Ski Valley 8-Man Conference three-peat this fall. They'll open their football season when they host Onaway on Friday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m.
Quarterback Aidan Fenstermaker and the Inland Lakes Bulldogs are aiming for a Ski Valley 8-Man Conference three-peat this fall. They'll open their football season when they host Onaway on Friday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN 

Vs. Onaway, Friday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m. 

The Bulldogs have had their way with the rival Cardinals over the past two seasons, outscoring them 121-34 – including a 52-0 thrashing at Onaway last season.  

Rivalry games are always intriguing, though. The Cardinals still have some quality skill players at their disposal, but the Bulldogs return so many weapons of their own. A good conference clash to start the campaign.

At Forest Area, Friday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.

Holding a 123-0 combined scoring margin in games played in 2021 and 2022, the Bulldogs have dominated their recent meetings with the Warriors.

The Bulldogs hit the road here, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them put up another big number in this conference matchup.

Vs. Central Lake, Friday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.

This likely won’t be any sort of gimme for the Bulldogs, who were tested last season during their 26-8 Saturday road victory over the Trojans.

Two years ago, these two Ski Valley foes combined to score 152 points in what ended up being an 86-66 Bulldogs victory. I don’t expect that many points to be scored again, of course, but this could be a challenge for Inland Lakes.

At St. Ignace, Friday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.

This will be a proper road challenge for the Bulldogs, who face a St. Ignace program that went 7-3 and made the playoffs last fall.

If there’s one thing we know about the Saints, it’s that they usually play a tough, physical brand of football. This could very well be the first true test of the season for the Bulldogs.

This marks the first time the two teams have played since 2019, a 52-0 St. Ignace triumph.

Head coach Travis Meyer and the Inland Lakes Bulldogs will travel to face St. Ignace and Munising in back-to-back weeks during the 2023 campaign.
Head coach Travis Meyer and the Inland Lakes Bulldogs will travel to face St. Ignace and Munising in back-to-back weeks during the 2023 campaign.

At Munising, Friday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs follow up a difficult road test at St. Ignace by traveling and taking on another tough U.P. opponent in Munising, which advanced to the 8-Man state semifinals before losing to Merrill last year. The Mustangs finished 11-1 overall in 2022, but they also lost several key players from that squad.

The last time these two teams played was a 34-22 playoff contest won by host Inland Lakes in 2020.

Vs. Morenci, Saturday, Sept. 30, 1 p.m.

After two weeks of games in the U.P., the Bulldogs return home to take on Morenci, which has struggled in recent seasons. The Bulldogs of Morenci are a combined 4-12 over the last two campaigns.

The Bulldogs have competed in multiple Saturday games in recent years, so this one could end up being an exciting one to watch.

Vs. Pellston, Saturday, Oct. 7, 1 p.m.

It’ll be a Saturday showdown between the Bulldogs and Hornets, a pair of Ski Valley rivals. The Bulldogs have dominated this matchup, but the Hornets hung tough for about a half or so in Pellston last fall.

This is one of my favorite area games to cover during the campaign, and I certainly hope it ends up being a great early October battle. Last year's result was a 36-6 Inland Lakes win.

Oh, and it's homecoming for the Bulldogs.

At Bellaire, Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

Inland Lakes travels to take on the Eagles, who didn’t even field a team during the 2022 campaign. Prior to 2022, the Eagles had to forfeit their matchup against the Bulldogs because they didn't have enough players.

Let’s hope that Bellaire has enough players for a squad this season.

Jake Willey and Inland Lakes football will wrap up their regular season with a Ski Valley Conference showdown at Gaylord St. Mary on Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.
Jake Willey and Inland Lakes football will wrap up their regular season with a Ski Valley Conference showdown at Gaylord St. Mary on Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.

Vs. Gaylord St. Mary, Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.

This matchup needs no introduction as it could once again determine the champion of the Ski Valley.

The Bulldogs held off a late comeback attempt by the Snowbirds in a 44-40 victory at Shanley Field last fall. From there, the Bulldogs cruised to their second straight conference title.

If the Bulldogs want to three-peat, they’re likely going to have to take down the Snowbirds, who return quality players of their own. In 2021, the Bulldogs sealed the first of their two Ski Valley 8-Man titles by winning at St. Mary.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Taking a look at the Inland Lakes Bulldogs 2023 football schedule